Denton Elem

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Denton, Montana - 2 schools

At $21,839 per pupil, Denton Elem ranks #105 of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending (Montana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

35
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$21,839
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Denton Elem operates 2 public schools serving 35 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Fergus County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,839 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Montana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 54.6% local, 22.6% state, and 22.8% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers.

and 24.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 95.8% White, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Denton School, enrolling 36 students (84% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Denton 7-8, at 7 students, a 5x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Denton School accounts for 83.7% of all Denton Elem student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Denton Elem a distant remainder — means Denton Elem-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Denton Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 24.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Denton Elem is typically wider than the Denton Elem-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

22.8%
Federal
22.6%
State
54.6%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Denton Elem.

White 95.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
African American 1.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

24.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Denton Elem

School Enrollment
Denton School
36
Denton 7-8
7

How Denton Elem Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Montana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Pine Creek Elem Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Geyser K-12 Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Miami Elem Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Valley View Elem Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Melstone H S Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Denton Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Montana

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Billings Elem
10,988 students · 28 schools · $12,537/pupil
Compare vs Denton Elem →
Great Falls Elem
7,032 students · 17 schools · $12,418/pupil
Compare vs Denton Elem →
Billings H S
5,610 students · 3 schools · $11,891/pupil
Compare vs Denton Elem →
Missoula Elem
5,280 students · 12 schools · $12,776/pupil
Compare vs Denton Elem →
Helena Elem
5,225 students · 13 schools · $13,560/pupil
Compare vs Denton Elem →

Compare Denton Elem

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Billings Elem →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Denton Elem?

Denton Elem has 2 schools, including 1 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 35 students.

How much does Denton Elem spend per student?

Denton Elem spends $21,839 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Denton Elem?

Denton Elem students are 95.8% White, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.